


Thicker Than Water

by YoursAlways



Category: Brothers Conflict, InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Crossover, F/M, Family, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-19
Updated: 2014-06-19
Packaged: 2018-02-05 07:28:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1810255
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YoursAlways/pseuds/YoursAlways
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Kagome arrives at the Asahina home to reunite with her little sister and meet her new extended family, she's drawn into the rowdy world of the many siblings. But between work and family and possibly even love, she finds much more than family in the Sunrise Residence.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Thicker Than Water

Disclaimer: I own neither Inuyasha nor Brothers Conflict and make no money from these writings.

\------------------

Thicker Than Water

Chapter One

Outwardly, it seemed like any other morning at the Sunrise Residence, but inside was a bustle of activity. Though almost all of the activity came from the sole female resident.

“It’s today!” Ema cheered lightly as she fluttered around the kitchen. She was preparing breakfast for her brothers as she did most mornings and going over her mental checklist for the umpteenth time.

“What’s today?” Yusuke asked with a yawn as he made his way down the stairs from the fifth floor’s loft area.

Masaomi smiled from his seat at the table as he said, “Don’t you remember? Ema has a guest who will be staying with us for a little while.”

“Oh yeah,” the red-head drawled out. “That’s today?”

“Yes,” Ema answered cheerfully. The brothers who were already gathered for breakfast--Masaomi, Yusuke, Ukyo, and Hikaru--smiled. It had been a while since they had seen Ema genuinely excited. For so long she seemed to walk on eggshells around them. She still did occasionally. But at the moment she appeared to be so distracted that it didn’t matter to her. Ema practically skipped over to the table, careful not to tip the tray carrying small bowls of sliced fruit.

Hikaru thanked Ema when she set his fruit down and asked, “I’m sure you’ve already mentioned it, but I can’t seem to remember exactly who this guest of yours is. Care to explain it for me again?”

“Her name is Kagome,” Ema answered with a bright smile. “She’s my big sister.” Ema saw Juli’s tail twitch from where he sat on the table. He was also excited to see Rintarou’s other daughter again.

“Now, I thought that you were an only child before we came along,” Hikaru recalled as he pushed some of his long hair behind his ear.

“Well, for the most part, I was,” Ema explained as she hugged her now-empty tray to her chest. “Kagome is Papa’s biological daughter. Papa had already adopted me when he found out that a woman he’d been involved with had a young daughter who was his. Apparently, because he was always overseas, she’d had a hard time tracking him down and getting in touch with him. After that, Kagome would come and stay with me and Papa every now and then.” Thinking back to her childhood, Ema continued, “I didn’t get to see Kagome very much, but whenever I did she always treated me just like her little sister! I guess that’s one reason I was so excited to get brothers. I loved the way I felt when I was with Kagome, so I thought living with all of you would make me feel like that all the time.”

“Does it not?” Hikaru teased gently.

“No, no, of course it does!” Ema tried to backpedal with a light blush. “I just didn’t realize how different having brothers is from having a sister.”

“How long has it been since you’ve seen this sister of yours?” Ukyo questioned as he stood to help Ema bring the rest of the breakfast dishes to the table.

Ema paused to think for a moment before answering, “I guess it’s been about six years.”

“Six years?!” Yusuke blurted out. They might not always get along, but he couldn’t imagine being separated from his brothers for that long.

“Well, we email back and forth when we can,” Ema supplied sheepishly.

“No matter,” Masaomi assured with a gentle smile. “It’s nice that you’re going to get to spend time with her now, and we’re all excited to meet her. After all, if she’s also Rintarou’s daughter, she’s our sister now, too.”

“I’m sure you’ll all love her,” Ema smiled happily.

“Love who?” Tsubaki questioned as he and Azusa made their way to the table.

“Another sister,” Hikaru answered as he popped an orange slice in his mouth.

“Wait a minute,” Yusuke said suddenly realizing something. “Do we have a spare bedroom for her? How long is she staying?”

Seeing that Masaomi had just taken a bite of his breakfast, Ukyo decided to field the question. “We actually don’t have a spare bedroom right now since Hikaru has been staying with us, but I believe that Ema has already taken care of the sleeping preparations.”

“That’s right,” Ema nodded as she finally came to take her own seat at the table. “She’ll be here for a few weeks at least. And since Kaname is away at the temple for training, Kagome is going to be staying in his room. It’ll be perfect because it’s right down the hall from my room.”

Talk of their impending guest continued through breakfast as Ema shared stories of their time together as children. Eventually the brothers began to leave for their various jobs, and Ema began to clean the kitchen while keeping a close eye on the clock.

Since they had already graduated high school, she and Yusuke had been relaxing around the house and getting ready to start college in the spring. In an attempt to distract Ema, Yusuke had offered to play a video game with her even though he knew that he would likely lose. As they sat on the floor, each with a controller in hand, Yusuke asked, “So your sister…um…”

“Kagome?” Ema supplied.

“Yeah, what’s Kagome like?” Yusuke finished.

“Well,” Ema thought for a moment on how best to phrase it. “I admire her a lot. I really wish that I could be more like her in some ways.”

“Why?” Yusuke scoffed before he added in a softer tone, “You’re already great.”

Blushing lightly, Ema continued answering his question. “I guess the best way to put it is that Kagome is fearless. She always had this confidence that I could never quite find in myself. She’s really nice, but she won’t hold back her opinions either. She says what’s on her mind, and I always wanted that kind of courage growing up.” Pausing a moment to concentrate on the game, Ema added with a small laugh, “I’m always afraid that I’m going to hurt someone’s feelings or offend someone.”

“Says what’s on her mind, huh?” Yusuke asked with a sigh as Ema’s car passed his in the game. “Sounds like she’ll fit in great around here,” he said as he thought of several of his brothers.

Ema glanced over to the clock on her wall and sighed. She had been expecting Kagome around lunch time, but Kagome had sent her a text message saying that she would be a little late and would explain when she arrived. “I can’t wait for everyone here to meet her,” Ema said softly.

Yusuke watched Ema from the corner of his eye and smiled. It really was nice to see her so happy. He was about to agree with her last statement when the game announced their places at the end of the race and caused him to groan instead. First place: Ema. Second place: Yusuke. As always.

Several hours later found Ema standing on the sidewalk, leaning against the wall that separated their home from the street. She was trying not to fidget but was mostly failing. It didn’t help her jitters when she felt a hand touch her shoulder. Turning around quickly, Ema was met with Masaomi and Wataru. She hadn’t even heard them coming.

“She still hasn’t arrived?” Masaomi asked as Wataru trotted around him to hold onto Ema’s arm.

“No, not yet,” Ema told him. Her free hand came up to pet Wataru’s hair without even thinking about the action. As the pink-haired boy reached up and plucked Juli from her shoulder, Ema added, “But she should be here any minute. I got a text from her a little while ago that she was on her way.”

“That’s good then,” the eldest Asahina son smiled. “I think Ukyo is getting restless waiting to fix dinner, but he wants to wait for his favorite kitchen helper.”

“Oh gosh!” Ema gasped as she pulled her phone from her pocket and looked at the time. “I’m so sorry! I’ll head inside right now and help out.” But she was surprised when Masaomi reached out to gently stop her.

“It’s fine, Ema,” Masaomi chuckled. She was always so eager to help. At first he’d thought that she wanted to help out around the house so that she would be accepted quicker, but he was coming to realize that helping others was just part of who she was. “Ukyo can handle it on his own tonight. It was his job around the house before you came along, after all.”

Ema hesitated and bit her lip in slight worry. Looking back up at Masaomi and down at where Wataru was cuddling an annoyed Juli, she nodded and settled back against the wall.

Watching the young woman he’d done his best to suppress his feelings for, Masaomi joined her against the wall and did his best to be her big brother. “You’re really looking forward to seeing her, aren’t you?”

Ema’s face broke into a broad smile as she looked up at her brother and nodded. “I really am. The last time I saw Kagome, it was when she visited just after graduating high school. So I guess that makes her about…twenty-four now. I was only twelve at the time.” After getting lost in her memories for a few moments, Ema was about to continue speaking when a distant voice caught her attention.

“That jerk,” the voice groused. “Makes me get dressed up to meet him, makes me late, and doesn’t even have the decency to drop me off at my actual destination. _“It won’t kill you to walk a couple of blocks”_ he says. Tell that to my feet. Did he happen to see the shoes I’m wearing?!”

Head snapping up in the direction of the disgruntled voice, Ema pushed herself off of the wall and took a step forward. “Kagome?” She called.

Kagome looked up from where she was trying to keep all of her bags together and smiled brightly at the young woman who had called her name. “Ema!” She called back as she dropped all of her bags on the sidewalk and ran to greet her little sister as quickly as her cursed shoes would allow her. Ema closed the gap between them quickly, and Kagome wrapped the girl in a tight hug. “You’ve gotten so big!” She laughed through the happy tears that gathered in her eyes.

Ema beamed up at Kagome before she felt a soft tug on the back of her shirt. Turning around, she saw her youngest brother and motioned for him to step forward. “Kagome,” she began as she looked up at the taller woman. “This is Wataru Asahina, the youngest Asahina brother.” Looking down into Wataru’s large, brown eyes, Ema spoke, “Wataru, this is my big sister, Kagome.”

Wataru peered up at the woman who was several inches taller than Ema and tried to take in the newcomer. She was very pretty like Ema, but in a different way, he decided. The woman bent down so that she was closer to his level, and her long black hair spilled over her shoulders as she smiled. “Hello Wataru,” she spoke gently. “I’m Kagome. I hope we can be friends.” As she continued to smile at him, her blue eyes sparkled, and Wataru decided that he liked this new sister.

Nodding, Wataru grabbed Kagome’s hand and enthusiastically stated, “We’re going to be best friends!”

Kagome laughed as she straightened and looked to Ema once more. “I still can’t believe how much you’ve grown!” She exclaimed. She reached up to brush aside some of Ema’s bangs and smiled sadly. “I feel like I completely missed you growing up.”

“It’s okay,” Ema assured with a light blush under Kagome’s gaze. “We have lots of time to catch up now.”

“You’re right,” Kagome agreed. It was then that Juli wiggled free of Wataru’s grasp and scampered up Ema’s arm to her shoulder. Kagome wasn’t prepared for what happened next. Where once the squirrel had chattered like any other squirrel, now words came pouring forth.

“It’s about time you came for a visit, Kagome,” Juli admonished. “It’s been far too long. Ema has missed you! And she needs another female in this house as a buffer between her and all of these _males_.”

It was only Wataru’s giggle and mimic of normal squirrel chatter that lead Kagome to believe that they weren’t hearing the same thing. _‘It isn’t the time to bring attention to this,’_ she thought. So, playing along, Kagome smiled like she would have normally and addressed her sister’s life-long pet, “Hello again, Juli. I’m glad to be back with you and Ema.”

Ema reached up to rub Juli’s head in a soothing fashion. She was just about to speak again when another voice beat her to it. 

“Hello,” Masaomi spoke as he approached the small group.

“Oh, Masaomi, I’m so sorry! I completely forgot to introduce you,” Ema worried as she blushed in embarrassment. 

“It’s fine,” he smiled. “You got caught up in the moment. It’s understandable.”

Turning to make the introductions, Ema looked to Kagome and said, “Kagome, this is Masaomi Asahina, the oldest Asahina brother.”

Masaomi extended his hand with a soft smile and said, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Kagome. We’ve already heard a lot about you.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, too,” Kagome returned as she shook the taller man’s hand. “I’ve also hear a lot about all of you. I have to admit that I’m eager to meet everyone and see if you live up to all of the hype.”

Laughing, Masaomi released Kagome’s hand and said, “Well please don’t judge us too harshly if we don’t live up to it. I’m sure that Ema has been more than generous when describing us.”

“Masa,” Wataru spoke up as he tugged on his brother’s sleeve. “Can Ema and Kagome come play with me before dinner?”

Masaomi placed his hand on top of Wataru’s head as he explained, “First, we need to help Kagome get her things inside. And after that, I’m sure that Kagome and Ema would like a little time together first. Why don’t you ask them again after dinner or in the morning?”

Wataru pouted a little before Kagome spoke up. “Wataru,” she said to grab his attention as she leaned down to his eye level again. “I had to carry all of my bags here by myself, and now my arms are _so_ tired,” she explained exaggeratedly as she let her shoulders sag and she rolled her neck. “You look like a strong young man. Do you think you could help me out by grabbing one?”

The boy’s eyes immediately lit up as he nodded quickly. “I can help!” With that he ran to where Kagome had dropped her things and seemed to be debating on which bag to take. The three left behind laughed at his antics and followed to also collect the forgotten luggage. They had just reached the bags as Wataru chose which one he would carry, but the boy quickly dropped the bag with a squeal when something inside moved. “It’s alive!” Wataru cried.

Quickly kneeling, Kagome unzipped her bag only for a cream-colored cat to leap out into her arms and take a perch on her shoulder. “Kirara! Is that where you disappeared to? If I had known that’s where you were I wouldn’t have zipped the bag all the way up!”

“What’s that, Kagome?” Ema asked curiously as Kagome stood to face the group with her new friend.

“This is Kirara. I guess you could say that she’s my cat, but she’s more like a small, furry friend,” Kagome explained as she scratched behind one of Kirara’s black ears.

Things were quiet for a moment before Wataru asked in childlike wonder, “Why does she have two tails?”

“She was born that way,” Kagome explained simply. “It makes her very special.” Noticing the way Ema and Masaomi were staring at Kirara, Kagome panicked a little. “Oh! I completely forgot to mention her to you, Ema! I’m so sorry. I hope it isn’t a problem that I brought her.”

“No, it’s fine,” Masaomi assured as he got past looking at a cat with two tails and bright red eyes. “None of us are allergic. And we made room for Juli, so we should be able to do the same for you pet as well.”

“Oh, I’m so glad,” Kagome breathed in relief. She knew that Kirara could be a little shocking for most people at first.

“Kagome?” Wataru asked as he picked up the bag that he had dropped. “Can I hold her?”

Kagome was about to answer when Kirara moved to the edge of her shoulder and leapt into the small boy’s arms. Wataru giggled as he turned and made his way towards their home, talking to Kirara the whole way. Kagome smiled as she leaned down to grab the rest of her bags only to have the largest bag, her rolling suitcase, picked up by Masaomi. “Let’s go inside and get you settled before dinner,” he said. Kagome nodded in thanks as she and Ema grabbed the rest of her bags and followed the brothers into the large condo building.

As they entered the first floor and reached the cubbies that held the slippers for the house, Kagome balanced on one foot as she lifted the other to unzip the back of her high-heeled shoe and slip it off. When Masaomi offered her a steadying hand, she gladly accepted so that she could keep her teetering to a minimum. Ema blinked at the shoes as the first one came off, and Masaomi couldn’t stop himself from asking, “Why would you wear such precarious shoes to walk all the way here?”

Kagome continued to remove her second shoe as she explained, “Well, when I first got off the train I was wearing jeans, a t-shirt, and sneakers. Then a…we’ll just call him a friend for now, called me and all but demanded that I meet him at a restaurant near the train station since he was in the area. The restaurant had a dress code, so I had to find somewhere to change. That’s why I’m wearing this dress and the heels. I thought my friend was going to drop me off here after our business was done, but he dropped me off a few blocks from here since coming all the way here was too “bothersome.” And trust me when I say that he got an earful!”

Ema and Masaomi smiled at the story, but Wataru was too distracted by Kagome’s significant decrease in height. “You’re shorter than Sis!” He exclaimed.

Kagome and Ema looked at each other now that neither of them were wearing shoes and found that Wataru’s assessment was correct. It wasn’t by much, but without her shoes Kagome was about an inch or two shorter than Ema. It was a little surreal for Ema, being taller than her big sister, but Kagome just groaned. “One more person who’s taller than me thanks to genetics,” she grumbled. She knew that she was a little on the short side standing at five-feet-two-inches tall. It was one reason she had grown to love wearing high heels. The added height made her look more her age instead of looking like she still belonged in high school.

Grabbing their slippers, the two brothers and two sisters made their way to the elevator. As the doors shut and the elevator made its way to the fourth floor, Kagome asked, “So your family lives in this entire building?”

“Only on the third, fourth, and fifth floors,” Masaomi explained. “The first floor is mostly the lobby, laundry rooms, and a couple of storage rooms. Rooms on the second floor are rented out to people in the area who work in the entertainment industry and prefer to live somewhere with more privacy.”

“So will I be sleeping somewhere on the second floor?” Kagome asked as she saw the numbers above the elevator doors switch from two to three.

“You’ll be on the fourth floor with me,” Ema answered with a bright smile. “A few of my brothers are going to be away for a while, so you’ll be in one of their rooms. Luckily, the room you’ll be in isn’t far from mine.”

Kagome nodded as the elevator ‘ding’ed and the doors opened on the fourth floor. She followed the three siblings as they stepped into the hall and showed her to her new room for the time being. Masaomi unlocked the door with a master key and allowed Kagome and Ema to enter first.

Looking around as she set her bag on the floor, Kagome could tell that it was a man’s room, but she was a little surprised by the string of prayer beads left on the nightstand. When Ema saw what Kagome was looking at, she supplied, “Kaname is a Buddhist monk. He’s away at his sect’s main temple for training right now, though.”

Kagome nodded and thanked the brothers as they placed her remaining bags on the floor. Masaomi retrieved Kirara from Wataru and handed her off to Kagome along with a key to the room before he said, “You two visit. I’ll let Ukyo know that he’s on his own making dinner tonight.” With a smile, he and Wataru left the girls alone.

“Is this room okay, Kagome?” Ema asked nervously. She didn’t want to make Kagome feel uncomfortable in their home. It had been so long since they’d seen each other that she wanted everything to be perfect.

Seeing Ema’s worry, Kagome smiled and wrapped the younger girl in another hug. “This room is great. Thank you so much for letting me stay here while I’m in town, Ema.”

Ema blushed but gladly returned the hug as she said, “You’re welcome, though you should really be thanking Masaomi and the others.”

Pulling back slightly, Kagome brought her hand up to run her fingers through Ema’s side ponytail. “Your hair is a lot longer than it used to be,” she observed. “And you kept it to the side!”

Ema brought a hand up to touch her hair as she said, “That’s how you always used to fix it for me. I liked it so much that I started doing it myself.”

“It suits you,” Kagome said with a nostalgic smile. “Well,” she said suddenly as she pulled away from the hug completely and clapped her hands. “Why don’t you show me your room before dinner? That way I’ll know where I can find you.”

“Okay! It’s this way,” Ema told her excitedly as she grabbed Kagome’s hand and pulled her out of her temporary room and down the hall.

Unlocking her door and stepping aside for Kagome, Ema released a contented sigh. She had wanted to see Kagome again for so long, and now it felt like a small missing piece had returned to her soul. “It’s not much, but it’s home,” Ema said as she came inside and shut her door.

“I think it’s great!” Kagome enthused. “It’s been so long since I’ve actually had my own room that this is just amazing to me,” she added as she looked around the room. It had been so long since she had seen Ema, and she knew that her little sister had surely grown up and changed some in that time. Looking around the room gave her a general idea of who Ema had grown up to be. Bright colors abounded in the decorations. Notebooks and a well worn desk pointed towards an attentive student, but a console and several video games showed that she still took time to have fun. Turning to face Ema again, Kagome smiled and said, “Your room really reflects you.”

“You don’t have your own room?” Ema questioned as she sat down on her bed with Juli in her lap.

Joining Ema on the bed, Kagome hummed as she shook her head. “I still have a bedroom back at the family shrine, but I haven’t been home in a long time. I’ve been traveling, remember? I’ve been living out of those bags that I brought with me for a few years now.”

“I’ve never really understood what you do,” Ema confessed as she watched Kirara slip from Kagome’s shoulder to sniff and nuzzle a nervous Juli.

“It’s not really important,” Kagome side-stepped with a smile and a wave. “I want to know about you! Are you excited about starting college? Do you have any idea what you want to do yet?”

Ema shrugged a little as she answered, “I’m not completely sure yet. I’m thinking that I might like to be a teacher; maybe history or something like that.”

“I always loved history,” Kagome shared. It certainly hadn’t hurt her interest when she lived through part of it, not that what she experienced was in any textbooks.

Ema was about to speak again when the chime of her doorbell sounded through the room. When Kagome laughed a little, Ema turned back to look at her only for the older girl to say, “Sorry, I just thought that it was a little funny that you have a doorbell. I imagined having the same thing on my room back home, and it made me laugh.”

Ema giggled a little too at the thought as she turned to go answer her door. Unsurprisingly, she was greeted by two nearly identical faces. “Evening, Sis!” Tsubaki greeted her as he leaned down, using the arm he had slung around Azusa’s shoulders for balance. “I was going over some script notes in Azusa’s room when we heard voices. We just wanted to make sure that you’re okay.”

After living with the Asahina brothers for the better part of two years, and specifically living next to the twins for that long, Ema was wise to how Tsubaki got what he wanted. “If you want to meet Kagome, you can just say so,” she told the two as she stepped aside to let them enter.

With a sassy smile and a peck on her cheek, Tsubaki retracted his arm from Azusa and strode forward. Azusa followed behind his brother in a more subdued manner while smiling softly at Ema.

When she shut the door and entered her bedroom again, she stood next to Azusa and watched the scene play out. She tried to keep it in, but Ema couldn’t help the smile that split across her face. In the middle of her room stood Tsubaki and Kagome, staring each other down. Ema knew from experience that Tsubaki tended to be loud and flamboyant and it showed in the presence he brought to a room. She found it a little suffocating at times, especially when they had first met. The man knew how to get the reactions that he wanted from other people. But there was Kagome, standing as tall as she physically could, chin held high as she stared him in the eye and showed no signs of submitting to his attempt at gaining the upper hand on her.

Eventually it was Kagome who spoke first. Extending her right hand and smiling, she introduced herself simply, “Kagome Higurashi.”

Tsubaki blinked before he laughed and grabbed Kagome’s hand and pulled her to him for a tight hug. He didn’t feel the need to be as gentle as he was when he first met Ema. As much as he adored Ema, she seemed much more fragile than Kagome. He could tell that Kagome would be able to take his more rambunctious teasing. Releasing her from the hug but keeping an arm around her shoulders, he turned them to face Ema and Azusa as he said, “I’m Tsubaki and that’s Azusa.” Tsubaki looked to his twin and smiled as he said, “Azusa! I think I’m going to like this new little sister.”

“Um, Tsubaki…” Ema cut in softly. When she had her brother’s attention, she corrected, “Kagome is actually the same age as you and Azusa.”

Tsubaki pulled back to look at Kagome again before he said, “But she’s so small!”

When Azusa saw color rise to Kagome’s cheeks, though not from embarrassment, he decided to step in before Tsubaki found himself on the receiving end of this woman’s ire. Stepping forward, he smoothly removed Tsubaki’s arm from Kagome’s shoulders and smacked his twin in the side of the head. “Think before you speak,” he chastised before turning to face Kagome. “As Tsubaki said, I’m Azusa. It’s a pleasure to meet you,”

Kagome laughed as she nodded. “You too,” she replied. “So,” she drawled as she stepped back to look at the two men. “You’re the twins?”

Tsubaki and Azusa both looked at Kagome before looking over to Ema and back to Kagome. When they didn’t say anything, Kagome continued, “I’ve heard a lot about both of you.”

Again looking towards Ema, Azusa smiled charmingly as he said, “All good things, we hope.”

Kagome smiled as she walked over to Ema and hugged her around her shoulders much the way Tsubaki was doing with Azusa. “Of course,” she told them. “I don’t think Ema has it in her to say anything bad about anyone, much less the brothers that she cares about so much.”

Unable to handle all of the attention that was suddenly on her, Ema blushed furiously and excused herself. “I…I’m going to go help Ukyo with dinner,” she stammered as she slipped from Kagome’s grasp and made for the door.

“Let me change clothes and I’ll come with you!” Kagome called after her. Turning to Tsubaki and Azusa, she scrunched her nose cutely in amusement at how easily Ema still got embarrassed. Giving the twins a wave, she followed Ema into the hall, careful of where she stepped as Kirara and Juli came scampering into the hallway as well. “Sorry,” she apologized. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”

“It’s okay,” Ema accepted as she and Kagome made their way towards Kagome’s temporary residence. “It’s not just you. Tsubaki really likes to tease me, too.”

“So we’re going to be helping with dinner?” Kagome asked as she began to rummage through one of her bags.

“Oh, no, no, no!” Ema corrected quickly. “You just got here. Nobody is expecting you to help cook dinner. You should settle in some first. It sounded like you’d had a hard day when you got here.”

Kagome groaned. “Don’t remind me. I’m still not done giving him a piece of my mind. You better believe that he’s going to be hearing from me later.” Just then Kagome’s phone beeped a few times alerting her to a new text message. Checking the screen, Kagome glared at the phone. “Speak of the devil,” she grumbled as she opened the message and read _‘New files for you to review. I expect your assessment within 48 hours. -S.’_ Kagome quickly typed out the curt reply of _‘Fine. Jerk. -K.’_ and hit send. “Well,” she spoke as she pulled out a pair of soft, cotton pants and a tank top. “It looks like I won’t be able to help with dinner after all.”

Ema hesitated for a moment before she asked, “Was that the guy you met with earlier?”

“Hmm?” Kagome hummed looking from Ema to her phone and back. “Oh, yeah. He acts like he has me on a leash. Talk about irony.”

“So…” Ema began carefully. The last time she’d seen Kagome, she’d been too young to really think about things like this, much less talk about them with the older girl. “Are you two…together?”

“Together?” Kagome asked as she stood with her clothes and looked at Ema’s light blush. “Oh. No! No. A thousand times, no. He’s the brother of an old friend who works for the government. He has me doing some freelance-type work for him. That’s all,” Kagome laughed. She couldn’t deny that Sesshoumaru was incredibly handsome, but he was far too cold and aloof for her tastes.

“Oh. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have just assumed,” Ema rushed to apologize.

“It’s not a big deal,” Kagome smiled. “I’m sorry that I won’t be able to help with dinner.”

“Oh, right. You said you work for him? Does that mean that you have work to do now?”

“Yeah,” Kagome answered. But when she saw Ema’s disappointed expression, she rushed to cheer up the younger girl. “But it’s okay!” Rummaging through another bag, she extracted a tablet and the small keyboard that could be snapped onto it. “I can do all of my work from this thing. I’ll still come with you so that we can spend time together.”

“Are you sure?” Ema asked. “I don’t want to interrupt.”

“It’s fine,” Kagome waved her off. “I’ll just be reading some files and listening to some interviews. I’ll still be able to talk and everything. Let me just slip into the bathroom to change, then you can show me where the kitchen and everything is!”

As Kagome trotted into the bathroom and shut the door, Ema thought that it was odd. Kagome had never been shy about changing clothes in front of her before. Was she uncomfortable now that they were both older? Something about that just didn’t sound right to her, but she didn’t know what else it could be. Shrugging it off for the moment, Ema decided that she might ask about it later.

When Kagome emerged from the bathroom, changed and with her hair pulled up into a ponytail, she grabbed her tablet and any accessories that she would need and followed Ema to the elevator with Kirara and Juli riding on their respective shoulders. Ema showed her where the living room was along with the fifth floor bath. They then continued down to a staircase that led down to the kitchen and dining room.

“I’m sorry that I’m late, Ukyo,” Ema apologized to the tall blond as she tied her apron behind her back.

“It’s okay,” Ukyo answered as he checked one of his dishes. “Masaomi explained that your sister only just arrived a short time ago.”

“Oh, speaking of,” Ema said as she took Kagome’s hand and pulled her closer to the kitchen. “Ukyo, this is Kagome. Kagome, this is Ukyo, the second oldest Asahina brother.”

Ukyo turned to address their new houseguest but paused. He wasn’t sure what he’d been expecting of Ema’s sister, but it wasn’t the woman who stood before him. Having nothing else to go on, he’d imagined a more mature version of Ema herself, though he knew that was ridiculous given that Ema was adopted and Kagome was Rintarou’s biological daughter. Wataru had already been to see him and had gone on about how their new sister was just as pretty as Ema, but different in a way that he couldn’t comprehend. Now seeing them together, Ukyo was able to see what his youngest brother had spoken of, but his age and experience allowed him to see exactly what the difference was. While Ema was pretty and cute in a very modern way, Kagome seemed to be the embodiment of traditional or classic Japanese beauty. Petite with long, black hair and delicate features, he could easily picture her in a traditional kimono. The only things that seemed to stand out were her blue eyes. Well…that and her ample chest which he noticed was a fair amount larger than most women with similar figures.

Clearing his throat, Ukyo did his best not to blush at noticing her chest as he bowed slightly and said, “It’s a pleasure.”

“Likewise,” Kagome responded softly. While she had never really thought of herself as having a ‘thing’ for blond men, she did know that she had at least one weakness. There was something about a man in a three-piece suit (sans jacket) that made her blood warm. Especially when said man had his sleeves rolled up such as Ukyo did as he cooked. In an effort to hide the blush that she knew was rising, Kagome cleared her throat and turned towards the dining room. “So should I just grab a stool and set up here at the counter so that we can talk?” She asked.

“Sure,” Ema nodded with a happy smile as she joined Ukyo in the kitchen.

Ukyo watched Kagome as she moved around the counter and set up her things. Surely he had imagined the blush on Kagome’s face as she turned away from him. “So Kagome,” he began in an attempt to strike up conversation and ease the awkwardness that he felt. “Ema tells us that there’s a six year difference between you? That would make you about twenty-four, correct?”

“That’s right,” Kagome answered with a smile as she plugged her small earbuds into her tablet.

“And are you already through with university?” Ukyo continued to inquire.

“I am,” Kagome responded a little more distractedly this time as she logged into her secure email account and downloaded the files that Sesshoumaru had sent her.

“So what do you do for a living now?” Ukyo asked. Ema perked up a little in anticipation for Kagome’s answer. The woman had been fairly vague as to her job so far, and she had been too nervous to come out and ask.

Kagome faltered for a moment and tried to think of a way to explain what she did without giving away classified information. “Well, the man who is sort of like my boss sends me files on people that he’s interested in for different job positions within the government. I look over the files and get back to him with my assessment of whether or not I think they’re a good fit for the job. If they are, he sends me to meet with them and give them the job offer.”

“So your job is similar to a head-hunter for companies?” Ukyo asked a little surprised. He had been head-hunted by several firms as he finished law school, and none of the people that contacted him had looked anything like the young woman who sat in their dining room.

“I guess,” Kagome laughed nervously. She’d never thought of it that way, but she supposed she was a little like a glorified head-hunter. Only their candidates had to meet some very high and rare standards.

As Ema and Ukyo focused back on their cooking and chatting about their day, Kagome put one earbud in her ear and opened the first interview audio file. As the interviewer opened with the interviewee’s name, age, and general abilities, Kagome opened the accompanying files and spreadsheets. She listened to the actual interview and noticed a lot of alpha-male speech patterns as well as what seemed to be a very stubborn personality. She looked over the possible positions he might be suitable for. _‘Raccoon-dogs?’_ She thought. _‘What was Sesshoumaru thinking putting that on here as a possibility? This guy is way too brash for them.’_ She scanned the list a little more. _‘Wolves? Maybe. He’s certainly assertive enough to hold his own in a pack setting. They’d probably respect him if he made it past the first few scare tactics.’_ Cross-checking with the interviewee’s ability charts, Kagome frowned. _‘Great. There goes that idea. He’s not nearly powerful enough to go toe-to-toe with a wolf if something gets out of hand. That just means he’s going to be tricky to place, if he can be used at all.’_

“Kagome?”

Kagome snapped her head up and looked at Ema who was watching her with a concerned expression. “Yes?” She replied as cheerfully as she could. She’d only just gotten there. She certainly didn’t want to make her little sister worry.

“Is everything okay?” Ema asked gently as she stirred a pot of, what smelled like, curry.

“Mmhmm,” Kagome hummed with a nod. “Sorry, was I frowning a lot? It’s nothing big, just an annoying aspect of the job.”

Both women turned surprised towards Ukyo when he snorted in a very undignified and unexpected way. Noticing the attention on him, he looked up and blushed. “I apologize, I shouldn’t have been listening in on your conversation. I merely thought that I can relate to that frustration.”

“Oh, I completely forgot to ask,” Kagome began as she leaned on the counter a little to get a better view of Ukyo. “What do you do for a living, Ukyo?”

“I’m a lawyer,” he answered simply, still a little embarrassed by his outburst.

“Ah, so do you have a heavy caseload?” Kagome questioned.

“Not particularly heavy, just taxing,” Ukyo explained.

“What kind of cases are you working on?” Ema asked curiously.

Ukyo looked down at his little sister and smiled gently. “I’m not allowed to discuss current cases,” he told her. Looking back up to the counter, Ukyo noticed for the first time another animal besides Juli. There, sitting next to Kagome’s tablet, was a small cream-colored cat with black ears and markings. It blinked curiously as it watched him. He would have called it cute if it wasn’t for the unsettling red eyes and twin tails.

Kagome noticed Ukyo watching Kirara and vice versa. “This is Kirara,” Kagome introduced as she rubbed Kirara’s head before turning her attention back to her list of possibilities for the candidate that she was reviewing. When Ukyo didn’t say anything in response, she looked up again and said, “Masaomi said that it wouldn’t be a problem for her to stay here, too. Was that a mistake?”

“No, not at all,” Ukyo said snapping out of his stare. “I was simply…surprised.”

“I think she has that effect on people,” Kagome smiled. “A lot of people are put off by the way she looks, but she’s perfectly safe and very sweet.”

No sooner had Kagome finished speaking Kirara’s praises than the feline in question became very alert and turned to face the staircase. She backed closer to Kagome and began growl as the fur along her back began to stand on end. Confused, Kagome followed her gaze and saw a young man descending the stairs. He was young, obviously still in high school at least. Light brown hair was partially pulled back with hair pins, and Kagome got the feeling that she’d seen him somewhere before.

“Fuuto,” Ema said in surprise. “I thought you had a shoot this evening?”

_‘Fuuto?’_ Kagome thought. She knew that she knew that name. Where in the world did she know the boy from?

“It got pushed to tomorrow morning,” Fuuto answered casually. “The photographer had some sort of family emergency or something. I mean, really, how unprofessional can you get?”

“Sometimes things just happen, Fuuto,” Ema said in defense of a man she’d never met and likely never would. “If we had a family emergency, wouldn’t you want to be here with us instead of working?”

“Wanting to do something and actually doing it are two different things. _I_ would do my job,” he said haughtily before his chocolate eyes slid over to Kagome sitting at the kitchen counter. He frowned when he noticed her staring at him. “It’s rude to stare.”

“I’m sorry,” Kagome apologized as she shook her head. “You just see so familiar. I’m sure I know you from somewhere.”

“Fuuto is an idol,” Ema explained with a proud smile. She knew that Fuuto could come off a little harsh, but he really wasn’t as bad as his first impressions could make him seem. “His stage name is Fuuto Asakura.”

Realization dawned on Kagome and she smiled. “That must be it. I guess I recognize you from TV and ads.”

“Did it really take you that long?” Fuuto questioned incredulously. “Do you live under a rock or something?” He continued his snippy attack, not noticing Tsubaki and Azusa coming down the stairs behind him. He smirked when he saw Kagome’s mouth drop open a little at the way he spoke to her. Going for the final blow, he made a point of looking over Kagome and her wardrobe choice before muttering under his breath but loud enough for everyone to hear, “Tacky.”

Ema’s wide eyes went back and forth between Kagome and Fuuto. Kagome had always had a bit of a temper, and she was afraid that Fuuto might have gone too far and truly offended her. “Fuuto,” she tried to admonish gently. “That wasn’t nice. You should apologize to Kagome.”

Tsubaki and Azusa took seats at the dining table to watch how things played out. They weren’t at all surprised by Fuuto’s next reaction. “Wait, _this_ is the Kagome you’ve been talking about?” He looked her over again. “I was expecting a lot better.” He purposefully strode over to stand in front of Kagome and looked down at her where she sat as he said, “We don’t want or need another sister. Sis is already all we need. So why don’t you just go find a hotel or something? If you can’t find one that you can afford, I’m sure you can find a cozy street corner.”

Everyone in the room was surprised by Fuuto’s last statement. Ukyo was about to intervene on Kagome’s behalf, but he stopped when he heard the beginnings of laughter.

Kagome tried to keep a straight face. She really did. But there was something about such words coming from such a pretty face that made her want to laugh. Maybe it was because it made her think of Sesshoumaru and their frequent spats. The first few giggles slipped out before she could stop them, and the more she tried to hold it in, the more the laughter threatened to bubble over. Eventually, she was reduced to full-out laughter. It certainly didn’t help her mirth when she noticed the idol’s shocked and confused face.

“Some idol you are,” Kagome spoke between breaths. Wiping a tear from her eye, she looked at Fuuto and smiled as she said, “You’re a little bit of a brat, aren’t you?”

Fuuto felt his face redden in anger and embarrassment as Kagome’s words sent Tsubaki into a laughing fit as well. He glared at his older brother before turning back to Kagome and biting out, “What is wrong with you? Who laughs after being talked to like that?”

Taking a deep breath, Kagome leveled Fuuto with a knowing look. She knew his type very well. The only way to deal with them was to not give them the rise that they wanted. Deciding to answer his previous question, Kagome calmly told him, “Someone who’s been talked to a lot worse by much scarier people than you. You’re going to have to try a lot harder than that to push my buttons.”

Fuuto’s jaw tightened before he turned and left towards the living room without another word. Yusuke passed him on his way into the dining room and was taken aback by how peeved his younger brother looked. “What’s up with him?” The redhead asked.

Tsubaki smiled broadly and propped his chin on his hand as he answered, “Kagome just put dear Fuuto in his place. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him speechless before.”

At the mention of Kagome, Yusuke scanned the room and found the one person that he didn’t know yet. If he was honest with himself, he was very nervous about meeting Ema’s older sister. Ema obviously held Kagome in high regard, and he was more than a little scared that if he made a bad impression on Kagome it would lower him in Ema’s eyes. Swallowing thickly, he approached the woman. It didn’t help his nerves to know that Kagome could apparently hold her own against Fuuto. That brat got him riled on a regular basis. When he stopped by the kitchen counter, he could hear Ema making the introductions, but he wasn’t really focusing on what she was saying.

Yusuke saw Kagome smile at him and she seemed kind enough, but he just couldn’t find the right words to say. Did he look weird not saying anything? His thoughts were interrupted when he felt a slight tugging on his sleeve. Looking down, he saw a small, unfamiliar cat pawing at his sleeving and meowing eagerly. A little unsure, he lifted his hand and moved to pet the cat, but she beat him to it.

Kirara pushed her head into Yusuke’s hand and purred as she nuzzled him. Kagome laughed and caught Yusuke’s attention. “You must have a very kind heart or else Kirara wouldn’t take to you like that,” Kagome told him in a gentle tone. “She’s a very good judge of character.”

Ema thought for a moment before she asked, “Didn’t she start hissing just before Fuuto came in?”

Kagome rolled her eyes at the memory of the young idol. “Like I said…”

“Yusuke,” Ukyo called as he stepped from the kitchen. “Go let the others know that dinner is ready.”

“Yeah, sure,” Yusuke said as he pulled his hand away from Kirara and made his way back up to the loft and elevator.

Saving her work and turning off her tablet, Kagome stood and offered, “I’d like to help. Can I set the table?”

“Sure,” Ukyo agreed with a thankful smile. Turning to Ema, he said, “Could you show Kagome where the dishes are and what we’ll need this evening?”

Ema nodded and walked over to a large cupboard. “Who’s going to be at dinner tonight?” She called back to Ukyo.

“I think the only person who’s working late this evening is Louis,” Ukyo said as he checked his schedule. “Yes, it looks like we’ll need ten places tonight.”

Hearing that made Kagome blink a few times in shock. She knew that there were thirteen brothers and Ema, but there was something about hearing that they would need ten place settings said so casually that really drove home how large the family was. She and Ema each grabbed five plates and went about setting the table before going back for bowls, glasses, and silverware.

Soon after the table was set, Yusuke came back followed by Masaomi, Wataru, and Hikaru. “Where’s Fuuto?” Ukyo asked as he began taking the food to the table.

Yusuke shrugged. “He left in a huff and said he was eating out tonight,” he supplied.

Ukyo sighed and cleared away one of the place settings. As everyone settled in for dinner, Kagome ended up sitting between Ema and Hikaru. “Hello there,” Hikaru greeted as he turned to face the newest addition to their family. “You must me Kagome. I’m Hikaru, the fourth Asahina son,” he introduced as he extended his right hand.

“Hello,” Kagome returned politely as she took the offered hand. “I love that jacket, by the way,” she added as she admired the faux-leather jacket.

“Oh, thank you! I got it on one of my trips overseas, and it just became a staple,” Hikaru chatted amiably. “You could borrow it sometime if you’d like.”

“As much as I would like that, I get the feeling that it probably wouldn’t fit me as well as it fits you,” Kagome observed.

As Hikaru took in the woman's petite figure, he smiled apologetically as he agreed, “I think you might be right.”

“Ah yes,” Masaomi began as he got everyone’s attention. “Has everyone had the chance to meet Kagome?”

Everyone at the table gave affirmative answers and welcomed Kagome to their home once more. As everyone fixed their plates, Hikaru turned his attention back to Kagome. “So how old are you, Kagome?” He asked.

“I’m twenty-four,” Kagome told him with a smile as she waited for her turn to get some rice.

“So does that mean that you’re finished with college or are you going to get an advanced degree?” Hikaru continued to inquire.

Ema got Kagome the rice that she was waiting on and Kagome thanked her before turning to answer Hikaru’s question. “No, I’m finished. I didn’t need a more advanced degree,” she explained.

Things around the table settled down as the the last of the food was dished out and everyone began to eat and chat. “So,” Hikaru once again picked up with his questioning, “what is your degree in?”

Kagome had just taken a bite of food and was trying to chew quickly so that she could swallow and answer, but Ema answered for her in an effort to help out her sister. “Kagome works as a recruiter for government jobs. Did I get that right?” She asked looking at Kagome to make sure that she hadn’t misunderstood.

Finally swallowing a bite that had been too big in the first place, Kagome answered, “Yes and no. That’s what my job is right now, but that’s not what I went to school for.”

“Really?” Ema asked suddenly realizing that she didn’t know all that much about Kagome anymore.

Kagome nodded as she said, “I actually went to school for something completely different. I got my certification as a Shinto priest.”

More than one bout of coughing was heard around the table as people choked on their food. Finally getting his breath back, Yusuke shouted, “But you’re a girl!”

“Yeah, I’m aware,” Kagome laughed at the reaction.

Ukyo sent Yusuke a stern look before he picked up the conversation, “I believe my brother means that you don’t look like you would be a member of the clergy. How did you come to choose that profession?”

“Well, I was raised on a Shinto shrine in another prefecture of Tokyo. Grandpa had always hoped that my younger brother or I would take over the shrine one day, but Souta never showed any interest in it,” Kagome explained. “I wasn’t interested for a long time either, but things change sometimes. I was a priestess at the shrine all through high school, and when I went to college I got the certified at the level of priesthood that I would need to take over the shrine as Head Priest when Grandpa retires.”

“If you don’t mind my asking, why are you working for the government now instead of working with your grandfather at your shrine?” Azusa asked.

“It’s as more of a favor for an old friend than anything else,” Kagome explained with a slight shrug. “Plus, I’m making pretty good money right now and I get to travel before I settle down.”

The family continued to talk through their meal and get to know Kagome as she got to know them. It was a pleasant meal and everyone sat around the table talking for a long time even after the meal was finished and the dishes were cleared. It wasn’t until Wataru yawned widely that Masaomi realized the time. “Is it that late already?” He questioned the room slightly stunned when he saw that it was already nearing eleven o’clock. “You all may not have school right now, but that doesn’t mean you should disrupt your sleep patterns. And most of us have work in the morning.”

“Does anyone know if Fuuto ever came home?” Ema asked a little worried about her younger brother.

“I’ll check in on him on my way to bed,” Hikaru assured her.

The siblings all made their way to the elevators, Ema and Kagome with the sleeping Juli and Kirara in their arms. It was when the elevator stopped at the fourth floor that Ema, Kagome, Tsubaki, Azusa, Ukyo, and Masaomi bid goodnight to Hikaru and Yusuke. Hikaru held the elevator door open as he looked at the sleeping Wataru in Masaomi’s arms. “Do you want me to take him to his room?” Hikaru asked.

Masaomi smiled and shook his head. “He’s fine to sleep in my room tonight. He’d probably come knocking on my door at some point in the night anyway.”

As Yusuke and Hikaru disappeared to their own floor, the six left in the hall decided to go their separate ways as well. Before Ema followed the twins to their end of the hall, she turned to ask Kagome one final time, “Are you sure you don’t need anything else tonight?”

“I’m positive,” Kagome answered for at least the third time. “I’ll see you in the morning, Ema,” she said as she wrapped her sister in one last warm hug for the night.

“I’m glad you’re here, Kagome,” Ema whispered from where her chin rested on the older girl’s shoulder.

“Me too,” Kagome agreed from her similar position. When they parted ways, Kagome gave one final wave before letting herself into her borrowed room. One shower later and she was climbing into bed. It was a little warm in the room, so she’d settled on a pair of shorts and an oversized t-shirt for her sleepwear. She pulled up the covers and made herself comfortable before looking over to where Kirara had curled up next to her pillow.

“So what do you think? Will staying here for a while be a good thing?” Kagome asked quietly.

Her response came as a happy mewling noise and Kagome smiled. “Yeah, I think so too. Goodnight, Kirara.”

In the quiet of the room, Kagome and Kirara both fell asleep quickly, content with their new, if temporary, home.

It was several hours later when the elevator doors opened on the fourth floor yet again. A tall blond man stepped into the hallway with a bag on his shoulder and did his best to be as quiet as possible.

Kaname had only been away from home for a few weeks, but he’d had something of a revelation while he was at the main temple. He had missed his family terribly, but one day he found himself counting Ema among his siblings instead of putting her in her own category. He truly did think of her as a sister instead of a young woman. He knew that it would have taken him much longer to reach that point if it hadn’t been for Iori. It was knowing that Iori, with whom he was very close, harbored feelings for Ema that helped him let go. With all of the boy’s tragedy, if he was willing to open his heart again Kaname certainly wasn’t going to stand in the way.

As he crept closer to his door, he was very careful not to make any unnecessary noise. Ukyo was a notoriously light sleeper and could be quite grumpy if his sleep was disturbed. Kaname was suddenly regretting not waiting to come home until the morning as he tried to pull his keys out of his pocket without them jingling. And it was only when he stepped through his door and closed it gently behind him that he breathed a sigh of relief. Walking through his small front hall and into his bedroom, Kaname was greeted with something he definitely hadn’t been expecting.

Kirara was awake as soon as she heard the door being unlocked. She didn’t sense any danger in the coming presence, but she didn’t want Kagome to be scared awake. So, like a good companion, she gently pawed at Kagome’s face until she reluctantly awoke. “Kirara?” She asked groggily. It was then that the bedroom light flicked on and she blinked a few times only to be greeted by the sight of a man in monk’s robes.

Kaname stared and then blinked several times to make sure that he wasn’t imagining things. There was a woman in his bed. A very attractive woman at that. If he had told his brothers that he was coming home, he would have been sure that this was a prank of some kind. He watched as she sleepily blinked at him before the situation caught up to her and she bolted upright.

Kagome was about to scream when a light went off in her mind. Looking to the nightstand, she saw the prayer beads and remembered that the brother whose room she was borrowing was a monk. Hesitating for a moment, Kagome asked tentatively, “Kaname?”

Kaname had no idea what to think. There were so many questions. Who was this woman? Where did she come from? Why was she in his bed? How did she know his name? Had they met before? “Yeah,” was the only thing he was able to say in response to her question.

There was an awkward silence for a moment before Kagome continued, “They didn’t know that you were coming back this early, did they?”

“Nope,” he answered simply. When the conversation seemed to be getting nowhere fast, he decided to get closer to the heart of the matter. “I never thought that I would ask a beautiful woman this question, but why are you in my bed?”

Kagome flushed a deep scarlet when she realized that she was still in this man’s bed. “I am so sorry!” She quickly pushed the covers off of herself and scrambled out of the bed, almost tripping in the process. Grabbing her phone from it’s charger, Kagome saw that it was a little after three in the morning. “I am so, so sorry,” she apologized again as she gathered the few things that she had scattered around the room. “Let me just get my stuff, and I’ll get out of your way.”

Quickly stuffing everything into a pocket on her suitcase, Kagome gathered up her bags and made it to the door before Kaname could say anything otherwise. When he finally gathered himself enough to follow after her, he found her standing in the hall staring between Ema’s door and the elevator. “What are you doing?” He whispered to her from his doorway.

“It’s late and I don’t want to wake up Ema. I think I’m going to go up a floor and just crash on the couch until morning,” Kagome explained as much for her benefit as his. But before her hand could reach the elevator button, a large hand wrapped around her wrist.

He knew that what he was about to do would either be a very good idea or a very bad idea, but he went ahead with his gut anyway. “Don’t,” he told her. “Just…come back to my room for the night. You can have the bed. I’ll take the floor. We’ll get this sorted out tomorrow.”

Kagome opened and closed her mouth several times in an attempt to protest, but when she eventually spoke, she said, “Are you sure?”

Kaname grabbed two of Kagome’s bags to lighten her load as he answered, “Yes. Now come on before we wake someone up.”

The two quietly made their way back into Kaname’s room and set Kagome’s things in the corner once more. “I can take the floor,” Kagome offered.

“There’s no way that’s happening,” Kaname said as he pulled some extra pillows and blankets out of the top of his closet. “Not only am I a better man than to let that happen, but I’m pretty sure my older brothers would skin me alive for not being a gentleman. Especially Ukyo.”

Kagome watched him make his bed in the floor and felt more than a little guilty. “I’m Kagome, by the way,” she introduced herself.

“I would introduce myself, but you already seem to know my name,” he told her with a charming smile in an attempt to ease the tension. It seemed to work as he watched her shoulders relax a little.

“Kaname, the third Asahina son,” Kagome told him in confirmation.

“And you’ll have to tell me how you know me, but in the morning when we’re both a little more rested,” he said as he began to remove his outer robes. If it were any other time or situation, he knew that he would be flirting with the pretty woman, but right now he just didn’t want to make her feel any more uncomfortable than she obviously already did.

Kaname was about to speak again when his eyes fell on a small cat with cream-colored fur. It seemed innocent enough, but as he looked at it he could feel the hairs along the back of his neck raise and something in his stomach twisted making his heart beat faster. Finally breaking eye contact with the cat, he turned to address Kagome. “We’ll definitely talk more in the morning,” he said. When he saw her bite her bottom lip and nod, he walked to the light switch and caused the room to go dark once more.

The two tried to settle into their respective beds, but neither could stop the nervous twitching as they became acutely aware of each other’s presences. After several minutes of thick, tense silence, Kagome quietly spoke into the darkness, “This is… _really_ awkward, isn’t it?”

For a moment, Kaname thought about denying the observation. It wouldn’t be that hard to just lie. But then they would both know that it was a lie. So instead, he settled on the truth and said, “Yeah.”

The word hung in the air between them for a good while longer before they were both finally able to slip into the realm of dreams and forget the encounter. At least until morning.


End file.
